People in business

Eric Hoots has joined the staff of Southern Oregon Veterinary Specialty Center at 3265 Biddle Road in Medford.

Eric Hoots has joined the staff of Southern Oregon Veterinary Specialty Center at 3265 Biddle Road in Medford.

Hoots is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, with extensive experience in orthopedic, neurologic and soft tissue surgery. His specific areas of surgical interest include fracture management utilizing internal and external fixation techniques, treatment of cranial cruciate ligament rupture via Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, and spinal decompressive surgery.

Before joining SOVSC, he was a clinical instructor at the University of Pennsylvania and an associate surgeon in private specialty practice in New Mexico. He did his undergraduate work at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences, then completed an internship at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego. That was followed by a one-year surgical internship in Denver. He then completed a three-year combined surgical residency and masters' degree program at Kansas State University, obtaining board certification in 2008.

Rich Templeton has been promoted to vice president of marketing and sales at Steelhead Finance, a division of Capital Associates. He earned a degree in business and public relations from Middle Tennessee State University.

Templeton was hired in 2010 as the marketing coordinator and in February of 2012 was promoted to sales and marketing director.

Mark Mason has joined Providence Medical Group. He is a surgeon specializing in a full complement of general surgery services, with emphasis in minimally invasive surgery and gastrointestinal health issues. Mason will be associated with Providence Medical Group-General Surgery clinic at 1698 E. McAndrews Road, as well as at the soon-to-open Providence Medical Group-Ashland specialty clinic at 935 Siskiyou Blvd.

Mason earned his medical degree from College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, in East Lansing, Mich., and completed his residency in general surgery at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, Ariz.

Mason joins Providence from Bremerton Naval Hospital in Washington state, where he was chief of surgery.

Jack Hardy has joined Charter as senior manager of field communications. Hardy will oversee media relations, external communications and community outreach for Charter's Northwest and Mountain States markets.

Before joining Charter, Hardy operated his own public relations consulting agency and managed media relations, social media and community outreach for the Port of Camas-Washougal in Washington state. He is an adjunct faculty member at Portland State University, where he teaches public relations.

Hardy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Brigham Young University and a master's in business from George Fox University. He is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America.

People's Bank of Commerce has announced changes at its Ashland branch office. David Mooers is now vice president and manager, while Shannon Neill has been promoted to assistant branch service officer.

Mooers has nearly 30 years of financial industry experience, most recently serving at PremierWest Bank in Medford as vice president and business banking manager. Mooers began his career at First Interstate Bank and has held various lending, operations and managerial positions. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and management from the University of Oregon.

Neill has been with People's Bank of Commerce since 2005 and will oversee new accounts and teller operations. She previously was a personal banker and a senior teller for the local bank. She started her banking career in 1997 with Bank of America.

Steven Barrett has joined Beecher Carlson Insurance in Medford as a commercial account manager. He is a June graduate of Southern Oregon University with a degree in business management.

Email People in Business items to Greg Stiles at business@mailtribune.com.